Improvement in shoes



PATENTED MAR. 7, 1871.

v S. W. FRANCIS.

SHOE.

too m sitting down or stopping.

I portion of the shoe, as in this i most conveniently for use.

one saw sAMunLwrRANoIs; or NEWPORT,

RHODE istann nssieron TO ire SELF AND WILLIAM HARRISON NEWTON, OF sans PLiso [Lani-{P tent in. 112,439, dated March 7; 1871.

V IMPROVEMENT IN Sl-ICES.

The Schedule refarred'to, in thehe'I-etteroi'atent and making part0! the some.

To whom it may concern I Bejtknown that I, SAMUEL W. FmoI's,-of-Newport-,'in the county of Newport and State ofiRhode U the feet, and its objeet'is to produce ashes of this description, which, while fitting 'the foot snugly, may i bereadiiy pulled" elf-or drawn on without the use of the hands or hoot jack," and without the necessity of The invention is applicable to. overshoes of rubber, cloth, or other like materiahand to anysiniilar cover-.

ings for the feet.

It consists in the employment, in the mannersuhstnntially a hereinafter described, of a. metallic -or other suitable. spring, extending partly-around 1 the, openiug'in the shoe through which the foot enters,

and attached to the-body of the shoe under such an H arrangement that, while permitting the material ofwhich the shoe is com'posed to yield to-the pressure of-the foot and allow the footto enter the. shoe, it

will, when the shoe is once on, cause the yielding, material to spring back into place to properly cover and-clasp. or fit the foot.- 4 h The manner in whieh'my invention is or'may'be carried into effect will be understood by reference to j the accompanying-drawing, in which- 7 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ov ershoe made in accordance with my-invention, Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. i

In carrying out my invention I prefer to apply the spring device ahove referred to to the heel or rear position it is located Around and near the upper edge of the heel portion act the shoe I secure a metallic, spring, I), the ends i of which are secured in suitable sockets or chisps c,

. located at about the instep.

This spring is'prei 'erably arranged within the shoe, und so as to be covered by the lining; or, if the shoe be made of vulcanized rubberthe spring may he ineorporated in the material of. winch the heel a is formed. I I i The arrangement of the spring is such that it will allow the rubber, cloth, ol'other material of which the rear part of the shoe is cognposed to collapse and yield 01' fold together when the foot is inserted in the opening and pressed down upon this portion of the shoe,

thereby enlarging the opening su'fliclently to permit 'the foot to pass entirely into -the shoe.

When this takes place, the foot, of course, releases with a spring united with the same,

ble'part a, which is thus caused to cover and lit around the'foot. .By this means, that is to say, by W the mere pressure of the foot. and without the use of the hands, theshoe can he put on with ease.

To facilitate the taking ofif of the shoe I provide a metallic or other stud or projection, 11, of suitable construction, riveted or otherwise-fastened to the rear 'part of the shoe and projecting therefrom, by .pressing upon which with the toe of the other foot the heel a cache pushed down and the foot drawn out from the shoe.

'1 anraware that studs or projections have been. formed onor attached to the rear portion of shoes for. r

the purpose of facilitating the pulling off .of the shoe from the foot; and. I. do not, therefore. -this-feas;

ture,-sare'in connection-with the collapsible heel or?- .'o'ther portion of the shoe with which the spring a. is

combined.

I have described tone arrangement by which my invention may be carried into effect, but it is manifest that the form and location-of thespring may be varied, and. that its 'ends may be-iastened not-onlyby'the 'clasps 0, but in any othersuitablelmanner. *It'mny' he a roundor a flat spring, andof such dimensions as 'may bedeemed advisable. The spring, instead of being applied to the heel a,

can be-applied to'the front of the shoe f,or at any suitable. point around the opening in the shoe.

' What I claim as my invention, and-desire to secure 'by Letters Patent,'is'- 1. An overshoe or other covering for the foot, made of rubber, cloth, or other suitable material, combined aroundor partly around the opening in the shoe, to

operate substantially in the manner shown and set.

forth.

2. An overshoe or othercovering for the foot, having a yielding or collapsible heel or rear portion, combined with a-sprlng extending wholly or partly around and united with'the upper part of the some, substantially as and for: the purposes shown and described.

3. In combination with the collapsible heel aiid its recoil spring, arranged together as described, the stud 'or projection for facilitating the operation olYdrauvlng off the shoe, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have Signed my name to this specification before two subscribing witnesses.

' S AML. W. FRANCIS.

-Witnesses:

'Enwsnn M. Nnwnounn, 'Tu'os. W. Wooo.

and "arranged" 

